Well Westwood

westwood worked tirelessly through the 80s and 90s to promote hip hop music and artists. The fact that he has always been regarded as a wanker (by all accounts he always has been) is something he has battled through in addition to being white and "not from the street". He has been labelled a groupie and asskisser by UK heads for idolising US big names but he has the respect of many of the truly influential and talented hip hop artists who he sought out and stuck by, not just new boys briefed by their companies on his importance for the UK market. He goes waaay back.

He has also been instrumental in encouraging most oustiders to think of hip hop as something for wannabe bad boys and wiggers and 100% of his schtick went into about 70% of Ali G. He has been an on-air embarrasment since the late 80s. But noone has done more in the UK to give the heads what they needed when noone else went near hip hop commercially. Hip hop's a joke these days but up to about ten years ago it wasn't - and in the days when it was a poor man's game he worked fervently to get the music out there. I think he should be allowed his laughable voice and his car pimping programme. I listened to his show throughout the 90s and the artists and DJs he got on board were well worth the cheesy bollocks he came out with. Anyone who buys into hip hop and needs proof of his importance should try and find the Biggie Smalls / Puffy show from 94; the Biggie Smalls shows from March and April 97; the WuTang Forever studio takeover.

Good Times.